Mad Father
by afaithfulwriter890
Summary: Adalia's father has a secret - an ugly, horrible, awful secret that his daughter conceals to the best of her ability. She knows what her father does down in the pit, but she doesn't tell a soul. Because she loves her father. But when a curse is placed on him and their home, Adalia vows to save him, no matter what the cost. Full summary inside. OC. Cowritten by Sparrowfeather1.
1. Preface

_Mad Father - Preface_

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_****__I know Father's secret._

**_Adalia is a young she-cat who lives in her father, Demetri, in a series of caves and tunnels that run through the mountainside and dig deep into the ground below. All her life, she has grown up hearing the noises that come from those, and pretended that she didn't hear them._**

**_Because she loved her father._**

**_Demetri is a "doctor", or at least that is what he calls himself; in reality, he is something far worse. Adalia knows of the atrocities her father commits, but ignores them because she loves her father; she loves her father more than anything. But when a curse is placed on Demetri, Adalia is determined to find her father and save him. However, with the warning of a questionable stranger fresh in her mind, she realizes that there may be more going on with this curse than meets the eye._**

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**This fic is based off the RPG horror, Mad Father. You may have seen it around, especially if you watch a lot of Youtubers - a good deal of games have played it. It's truly a great story that I love, so my friend and I decided to write it with cats/Warriors instead of humans. **

**THIS FIC WAS COWRITTEN BY SPARROWFEATHER1. ALL "DIO" CHAPTERS WERE WRITTEN BY HER. ALL "ADALIA" CHAPTERS WERE WRITTEN BY MYSELF.**

**Please give credit where credit is due. If you want to find Sparrowfeather1, she is not on this website, unfortunately. However, you can located her on the Erin Hunter Community, also known as the Warrior Cats Forums. She is a very talented writer and has many stories there as well that you can check out if you are interested.**

**I do not own Mad Father, I do not own Warriors, and I do not own anything written by Sparrowfeather1. I have her permission to post this story on this site.**

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**Preface**

I know my father's secret.

I know what he does down in that pit.

I hear the screams.

Ever since I was a kit, I knew what he was doing. Mother, Father, and I lived in a series of caves that tunneled underneath a magnificent mountain. Father was a healer. Sick cats came to him, believing that he could make them better. However, the only thing my father could do was take away their pain… forever.

But sometimes, he didn't. Sometimes he let them live—let them suffer. I didn't know exactly what he was doing—what he was searching for with those… experiments, but I didn't care. He was my father, and when we ventured up from the pit with blood on his muzzle and claws, I pretended I didn't see. I feigned ignorance.

Because I loved Father.

My love was warranted—he was a great father. He gave me whatever I wanted. He looked after me; took care of me. He made sure I was fed and had shelter. He played with me. He loved me.

When I was little, Mother told me that Father was a difficult person to understand. She said that no matter what happened, I should never hate Father. I should always try to be understanding about his… passion. And I promised her that I would.

I thought that I could never hate Father. I thought that I _could_ understand his actions.

But my ignorance was too true—it ran too deep. I heard the screams, but I did not know the extent of his madness. And when I found out, it was already too late.

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A/N: Review?


	2. Chapter 1: Adalia

_Mad Father - Chapter 1_

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**I do not own Mad Father. I do not own Warriors. I do not own anything written by Sparrowfeather1. I am only posting this with her permission.**

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**Chapter 1**

**_Adalia_**

I padded along the narrow pathway. My whiskers brushed the rough, unforgiving sides of the tunnel, making my shudder; I hated when that happened. I tried not to think about the uncomfortable feeling as I continued forward. At the end of this tunnel, a strange, reddish light shone. This light was given off by the pit. The walls inside of it were filled with magma, and parts of the ground were breaking away, allowing the molten earth to flow freely. I would never understand how father could spend all his time down there.

As I reached the end of the tunnel, my nose wrinkled in disgust as the hot, burning stench the pit gave off. There was only one way in and one way out—a narrow path that was barely even big enough for one cat to travel on. The path spiraled around the sides of the pit downward until it finally reached the relatively solid floor. There is where my father worked.

I made my way over to the path peering down into the large hole. Almost a sky-length down was Father's workplace. He examined "sick" and "injured" cats, "healing" their "ailments". This is what I liked to believe; I liked to think Father was a good cat. In my eyes, he was one—he treated me with kindness, fairness, and pure generosity.

But I knew the sad, sick truth.

But that truth didn't exist in my world. In my world, he was just a father. That's all he needed to be.

At the bottom of the pit, everything and everyone were miniscule specs that I could barely decipher. "Father!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the large, open area. I hated actually going down into the pit—the heat was too extreme and the smell too repulsive. Usually, if I just called him, he would answer me.

"Adalia?" Father called back to me. I saw one of the specs move toward the path and began to pelt upward. I never did understand how Father and Mitzi—his assistant—could travel so quickly along the spiraling trail. It took him only a couple minutes for him to reach the top, and when he did he was completely breathless.

"What is it, Adalia?" he asked, panting and fluffing out his fur, trying to cool down.

Father was a slender brown tomcat with dark amber eyes that had only ever looked at me with love and kindness. He was the biggest and strongest tomcat alive, but he didn't need to be; he was smart and careful. If he ever had to fight anyone larger than him, he would simply use his wits to bring them down. Luckily for him, though, he seldom fought. All he did was… experiment.

"I can't sleep," I confessed, feeling somewhat self-conscious and ashamed for troubling him with this trivial problem. But I knew that Father wouldn't mind.

Father sighed and padded over to me. He rested his head on mine and licked my ears soothingly. I felt a pang in my heart as I remembered how Mother used to do this to me. "Is it because…?" he trailed off, knowing how the subject distressed me so. I knew what he was referring to, though.

"I think so… Father, I can't stop thinking about her."

He sighed and pulled away from me. "I know, Adalia," he said solemnly. "I too am finding it hard to accept that it's already been a year since your mother went to heaven. Tomorrow, we will go visit her grave together. Will that make you feel better?"

I nodded, smiling slightly to myself; Father always knew how to make me feel better when I was sad. "I think Mother would like that."

"Me too," Father replied with a small purr. He licked my forehead gently before nudging me back toward the dens. "Now, you get your rump back to sleep," he said affectionately. "It's nearly past moonhigh. I'll be retiring shortly myself."

Nodding respectfully, I turned to go. I heard Father begin scrambling down back into the pit, and paused. I plodded over to the edge and waited until I was sure he'd reached the bottom before heading toward the tunnel that led to the dens. Just as I had reached the mouth, a pain-filled caterwaul reached my ears. I shivered as the cat—most likely a tom by the sound of the yowls—screamed and begged for help. Not wanting to listen anymore, I rushed into the tunnel. My heart raced as I ran as quickly as could, racing away from reality.

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A/N: Review?


	3. Chapter 2: Dio

_Mad Father - Chapter 2_

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**I do not own Mad Father. I do not Warriors. I do not own _anything_ written by Sparrowfeather1.**

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**Chapter 2**

**_Dio_**

I was lying by a tree at night, grooming myself, when a beautiful brown tabby she-cat caught my eye. I stood up immediately, interested. Flicking my tail, I watched as she turned around in a few circles before looking back at me. Her large green eyes seemed to twinkle at me, teasing me, before she dropped down out of sight.

_Where did she go?_ Curious, wanting to talk to this she-cat, I raced over to where she had disappeared. There was no sign of her anywhere. Her sweet scent still lingered in the air, and I breathed it in. I wanted to talk to her even more now. Where was she?!

As I stood there, lashing my tail in confusion, the she-cat popped back into sight. She was purring, her eyes warm—_but with a coldness deep inside._

"Follow me," she whispered, opening a hatch. That must have been where she'd disappeared into. Her delicate body whisked down the hole. Completely trusting her, I followed, smiling. I'd have a chance to speak to her!

We dropped into complete darkness. I strained my eyes to see even anything. The air was cold and musky, making my pelt fluff up. _Where were we?_ However, I followed the she-cat as she walked through the tunnels, her tail waving high in the air. I stared at the walls. They were empty, but bloodstains were spattered across some of them. The stench of death grew stronger as the she-cat led me further and further through the tunnels.

The walls were now lined with tools - tools that were caked in dried blood and fur. Bottles of eyes were locked up in cabinets, staring right at me. Pelts of patterned cats were hung up to dry; one of them dripped with fresh blood. Horror rose inside of me and I whisked around, ready to sprint out of here.

This wasn't the place that I had wanted to arrive into.

"You can't do that, dear," the she-cat crooned, somehow stepping in front of me. Her eyes no longer held the warmth that they had before. "Keep going, don't be scared." Her voice dropped to a whisper at the last word. Her whiskers twitched only centimeters away from my face.

My paws itched, telling me to run. Run, run, run far away. I dodged her and sprinted up ahead, muscles straining at the upward slope. Teeth sunk into my tail, dragging me back. I yelped as I felt it pull practically out of its socket. My claws scrabbled forwards, trying to escape from this demon she-cat, but she had a strong hold. She pulled me into her grasp and shoved me forward. I gasped in pain, unable to fight back for much longer. _I was scared what else she could do to me._

The she-cat shoved me into a room that smelled of death. Chills ran up and down my spine. _I couldn't escape._ She tied me to a bed, smiling.

"We have a good one," she meowed. "Doctor."

I turned my head, my heart pounding louder than it had ever done before. A slender brown tom glided over to me, nodding. In silence, I heard him walk over to a cabinet and mess with a few tools. _What did he want to do to me?_

He walked back over. His claws clicked on the floor. I felt vomit rise up - from the fear and the stench. I wanted to get out of here. I didn't want to stay. I had a bad feeling what was going to happen. The "doctor" leaned over me, holding a tool between his teeth. The end was sharpened and glinted from the dim light in the room.

I screamed as the tool carved into my face. _He wanted my eye._ Pain seared through my head and my sight faltered, black figures blotting out my vision. I closed my remaining eye, groaning and wishing for a quick death. What had I gotten myself into?

A soft, young voice reached my ears. The doctor stopped at once, dropping his tool and running up towards I guessed stairs were, his paws thumping as he ran up. I groaned softly, the pain pulsing through my body. My teeth gritted as I tried not to yell out - I would probably scare the young she-cat. Who was she, anyway?

"I can't sleep," I heard her meow. Her voice was laced with such a young, sweet innocence. _Would she be a victim too?_ I didn't want her to have to go through such a thing.

The doctor murmured a reply. I didn't hear, nor did I care to. Hatred for him ran through my blood, hatred for what he was doing to me. My ears pricked up at the she-cats next words.

"I think so... Father." My heart stopped. _This was his daughter?_ There was no way she could be safe from him. Did she even know what he did? Did she never see the walls lined with horrors or hear the screams and groans of dying cats? Such a young cat shouldn't be in this place. She was in danger every moment she was with her father. Somehow, I knew that.

Panic rose up in me as I heard the sound of his paws thumping back down the stairs. I thrashed around, the rope leaving welts in my skin. I bared my teeth, growling and yelping.

"Calm down," the she-cat's sweet voice murmured. "It'll be okay."

The doctor's scent surrounded me as he stood by me, motionless and quiet for a few moments. "He's ready," he muttered. I heard the scratchy sound of a rock being filed into a sharp tool.

"Doctor, I think she's aware of our...relationship," the she-cat mewed.

"What does it matter?" he grunted. The grating sound ceased.

"I don't believe she likes me. That's the problem, Doctor."

I heard the doctor turn towards her. "Yes, she is turning 11 moons quite soon. She'll become troublesome, that's true. Be kind to her. Make sure she's never harmed."

He paused. My heart pounded frantically as I heard him tap on the rock. And then...

I screamed, as loud as I could, as the weapon bore into my face. Pain. The pain. I screamed and screamed, wishing for the feeling to go away.

The doctor's last words were quiet and distant. "She is my most precious..."

And the pain did leave, as everything melted into a black void.

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A/N: Review?


	4. Chapter 3: Adalia

_Mad Father - Chapter 3_

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**I do now own Mad Father. I do not own Warriors. I do not own anything written by Sparrowfeather1.**

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**Chapter 3**

**_Adalia_**

The darkness engulfed me as I padded into my small den. It wasn't incredibly small, but it wasn't large either; it was… a good, neutral size. My mossy nest lay on the right wall, but I ignored it as I padded over to the left back corner. Over there, was my small shrine that I had built for my mother. Well, shrine was an overstatement; it was just a small collection of things my mother had, or took interest in. There was a heart-shaped leaf that mother had found for me a year ago, just before she died that was now dried out and brittle; a clump of moss from her nest that still faintly bore her scent; and a beautiful, white stone that father had given her for their anniversary last year.

Father had his own little trinkets to remind him of Mother too, but he had let me have these since I loved them so much. I rolled the moss clump toward me and breathed in the delicious, warm, familiar scent of my mother, but it was fading. About a moon ago, I had been absolutely appalled when I discovered that my mother's scent was diminishing and mine was replacing it. After that, I had rarely gone near it to preserve one of the last tangible memories of my mother…

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_"Adalia, come here," Mother called. We were playing outside the caves. It was only a few sun-shifts away from evening, but the greenleaf sun still warmed my fur. The vibrant rays were attracted to my black pelt, ensuring the heat. My mother got off easier when it came to the heat—her pelt was long and fluffy, but it was the color of milk—soft and creamy._

_ I scampered over to her, the grass blades tickling my belly. She lay underneath one of the many fir trees that grew around our mountain, and once I reached her, the scattered pine nettles pricked my paws. I ignored them as I reached Mother and rubbed up against her, breathing in her wonderful aroma. _

_ "Adalia, look at me," Mother mewed. _

_ I did as she asked, and stood right in front of her, looking into her soft, loving eyes that were as blue as a crystal-clear lake. She leaned forward and pressed her muzzle to my forehead. Gently, she licked both of my ears, and then the space in between them._

_ "Mother, what are you doing?" I asked innocently, peering up at her._

_ Mother pulled away and smiled. "I have planted a good luck charm on you, Adalia. Now, wherever you go, you will be lucky."_

_ I smiled. "Okay! That's good."_

_ Mother smiled again, but stopped as a coughing spasm ravaged her body. She unsheathed her claws and dug them into the pine nettles, as the spasm passed. Once it was over, she looked at me with tired eyes. "I will not always be here to protect you, Adalia, but even if you can't see me, I will always be looking out for you."_

_ My eyes widened at that. "Mother? What do you mean? We'll always be together, right?"_

_ Her normally clear eyes clouded over. "I will always be with you, Adalia. That's all you need to know."_

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My heart felt like it shattered into a million pieces the day Mother died; she'd passed away from one of her coughing fits. Mitzi was the one who had told me. She came up to my room and told me the news without even batting an eye. I'm sure that she was happy about this, though. She loved Father, just like Mother did. She wanted to be Father's mate, and now that Mother was gone, the way had been opened.

Mother never liked Mitzi, and because of that, neither did I. I was on Mother's side no matter what. I knew that Father liked Mitzi, but I also knew that he liked her way too much. Mother had said that he was cheating on her once… back when I heard it, I didn't understand what she meant, but now I do. Not even three moons after Mother's death, Father told me that Mitzi was his new mate, and she would be my new mother.

I hated the idea.

I hated her.

Unsheathing my claws, I stared down at the pile of my mementos. For a moment, the rage and hate I had for Mitzi burned like a raging fire within me, but I soon let it die. I sheathed my claws and padded over to my nest, shaking my head. It wasn't her fault Mother was dead.

As I slid into my nest, an unusual feeling came over me; I felt unease. Something was wrong—terribly wrong. I hadn't gotten such a feeling in a long time, but every now and then, I would worry for Father's safety down in the pit. However, I had just checked on him, so he should be fine. I let out a quick yawn before snuggling into the moss, trying to push that foreboding feeling as far away from me as possible.

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A/N: Review?


	5. Chapter 4: Dio

_Mad Father - Chapter 4_

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**I do now own Mad Father. I do not own Warriors. I do not own anything written by Sparrowfeather1.**

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**Chapter 4**

**_Dio_**

There was a strange feeling inside of me as I opened my eyes. _What? Where am I?_ Dark walls surrounded me. The smell of earth enveloped me as well, choking me. I jumped to my paws in confusion. Hadn't I just been killed? And I wasn't in the doctor's room anymore. I had no idea where I was.

Straining my eyes, I pushed against the walls, trying to find an exit. My breath caught in my throat as the walls fell away and I tumbled into the tunnels. I could smell the death again. But what was going on?

I padded around aimlessly, almost emotionless. I didn't feel any pain. My mind was practically blank, except for something else burning inside of me. But I didn't know what. I just followed my instincts around the tunnels, hoping to bump into someone...or something.

A strange odor reached my nose. I turned around, my fur fluffing up, as a cat caked in blood stumbled towards me. Their limbs were stiff and no sense of warmth radiated from them. Their eyes were cold and void, staring right at me - but through me.

I gasped and backed away, trying to find a tunnel that would lead me away from this thing. I whipped around to run, but his paw stomped on my tail. I groaned and slowly stared at him.

"What do you want?" I gasped. "How am I even here? And what are you?"

The cat slowly smiled. "Oh, you don't know?" His mouth was filled with rotten, craggy teeth. "Have you seen yourself?"

My heart thumped inside my chest. "N- no..."

"That's explains it." He cackled softly, flicking his tail. "Follow me." It was only then that I realized how strange his voice was, as if he was aching all over and barely groaning out his words. _Did I sound like that too? No, it can't be._

He led me to a pool of dirty water. It stunk of rotten flesh, but I gazed into it. Sure enough, my reflection stared back at me. My shoulders slumped as I saw what remained. My eye had been gouged out and that side of my face burned and cut into. The fur around it had been seared off. I was a living nightmare.

I slowly turned back around to stare at the disgusting cat. _I'm just as disgusting as he is. What am I?_ He groaned and flicked his tail.

"Do you get it yet?" he asked.

I shook my head. Frankly, I didn't _want_ to. The truth could be just too frightening to handle.

"I've heard that there's a curse in this place...because of the Doctor. Everyone he kills comes back as corpses. We're planning to kill him, you know. Destroy this mansion and his family. He's going to get what he deserves," the cat growled.

"Wait, a curse? Why?" I gasped. I was somehow back because of a curse? I didn't even believe in that. I had no choice now, though.

"Because he's evil. No one else shall suffer from our fate! We were alive. We don't deserve this. The only cat here that deserves a painful death is him." He cackled again, his paws making odd sounds as they shuffled against the dirt floor.

"I'm really a corpse..." I whispered, staring at my paws. "I can't believe this."

"Well, you better," he snorted. "Come on, join us. This is why we're back: to kill the Doctor!"

My thoughts flashed back to the young she-cat's voice that I'd heard. Somehow, I knew she was in danger. I wanted to help her. She didn't know what staying here would do. I would need to get her out of here. _She doesn't deserve our fate..._

"Thanks, but...I'm going to do something else, if that's okay," I muttered, avoiding the other corpse's gaze.

"What do you mean? Stop! Follow me. We're going to kill the doctor."

"Yeah, well, no thanks," I replied, backing away slowly. "That's okay."

"No thanks?" The cat's eyes were bloodshot as he inched towards me, unsheathing his rotting claws. "That ain't right." He leaped at me, growling fiercely.

I skidded backwards and jumped away, nearly slamming my head against the tunnel walls. Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I ran away from the corpse, gasping for breath. _Where would the she-cat be?_

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A/N: Review?


	6. Chapter 5: Adalia

_Mad Father - Chapter 5_

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**I do not own Warriors. I do not own Mad Father. I do not own anything written by Sparrowfeather1.**

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**Chapter 5**

**_Adalia_**

A scream woke me from my slumber. It was so loud, so terrified, so pain-filled, but I was used to those kinds—this one, though was different. I knew which body this scream had erupted from; I knew it all too well.

_Father._

My eyes snapped open and I jerked my head up. The next thing I knew, I leapt to my paws and stumbled toward the door. Sleep still hung on my eyelids and made me groggy; my paws clumsily tripped over one another as I staggered toward the mouth of the den. I stopped for a moment and glanced over my shoulder at my gathered mementos. _Mother,_ I thought for a moment. I wished that Father was alright before slipping out of the den.

Eerie, anguished howls echoed throughout the tunnels, making my pelt bristle and my hackles rise. Bravely, I stepped completely out of the den and into the narrow passage; my heart racing. Out here, I felt completely exposed; like anything could get me at any moment.

From further down the tunnel, I heard disgusting, horrifying, squishing sounds. I shivered, and took a few steps backward as two, bloody figures came into view. At first, I didn't even think that they were cats, but they had to be—there wasn't any other species they could belong to, but they were just so disfigured. One's bottom jaw was completely torn off and chunks were torn off from its abdomen and back. The other was soaked in blood and missing both of its ears and even its tail. I let out a screech of terror, which was a big mistake; it seemed to attract their attention.

As the two mutilated cats staggered in my direction, I pelted back into my den. I hid in the darkest corner I could find, my hackles raised and lips curled back in the most menacing snarl I could muster. A few silent moments passed before I heard paws approach the entrance to my den. I prepared myself for a fight, but it was not the two strange cats that had entered. In their place was one of the ugliest cats I had ever seen.

He was completely hairless, and his bare, pink skin was all wrinkled and folded around his joints and shifted as he moved. His large, radar-like ears rotated madly around his head and his white whiskers twitched. However, undoubtedly, the creepiest thing about him was his eyes. Both eyes were small—narrowed almost in slits—but they were red. Not amber. Red… as in blood red.

I cowered away from him in fear.

"There is no need to be afraid," he told me in a deep, rumbling voice. His red eyes bore an almost… kind look as they gazed at me, trembling at the mere sight of him. "I am not your enemy."

Rising slowly to my paws, I watched him warily. "Who are you?"

Smirking, he sat down on the cold floor, tail twitching rhythmically. "I go by many names, young one, but you may call me Oldrik."

"Oldrik?" I repeated. The name sounded strange on my lips… so foreign.

He nodded patiently and rasped his tongue over his skin.

"Are you… one of those things?" I asked, feeling my being begin to shake again at the mere thought.

Oldrik shook his head. "No, child, I am not. Do you know what those things are? Do you know why they are so angry?"

I shook my head.

He nodded. "I expected this much…" he murmured, glancing at the ground for a moment. "Those cats out there are your father's test subjects."

"What?" I couldn't believe my ears. Why were Father's test subjects up here, wandering around aimlessly?

"They were once dead, Adalia," he explained. I didn't ask him how he knew my name, for he seemed to be a very unusual cat, and the only person to really be on my side at the moment. "They were brought back to life because of a curse that has been cast on your father."

"A curse?"

"Indeed, child…" Oldrik sighed, watching me with solemn eyes. "These cats are very angry at your father for what he did to them while they were alive, and they want revenge."

I looked down at my paws. I honestly didn't know what to do. What [i]_was_[/i] I to do? I was only a kitten for spirits' sake! I wanted to save Father, but I had no idea if I was even capable of doing it. What could I do to help him? How could I even have hopes of saving him? Despite my misgivings and dubious thoughts, I knew that I had to try. I loved Father, and even though I was afraid, he needed my help. He always helped me when I needed it. Whenever I fell and scraped myself, or harmed myself in any way, shape or form, Father would take care of it. It didn't matter the wound—external or internal—he was always there. Whenever I needed his help reaching something, or figuring out what a word meant, or even solving a puzzle, Father would help me.

I couldn't try to save Father.

I _had_ to.

"Then I'll go save him," I told Oldrik confidently, rising from my crouch. I held my head high as the hairless tom started at me in stunned silence.

After a few moments of struggling for words, the tom answered me, "Are you sure, Adalia? This is what you want?"

"Yes," I replied, dipping my head. "Father needs me."

With that, I padded over the mouth of the den, but paused at the threshold. I didn't know what I would face out there… I didn't know what horrors awaited me, or how many corpses I would have to battle through or outsmart… but I knew that I had to save Father at any cost. With great fortitude I took a deep breath and exited the den, leaving the strange Oldrik behind me.

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A/N: Review?


	7. Chapter 6: Dio

_Mad Father - Chapter 6_

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**I do not own Mad Father. I do not own Warriors. I do not own anything written by Sparrowfeather1.**

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**Chapter 6**

**_Dio_**

I'd stopped running after a few minutes, getting tired pretty easily. My sense of time had been lost already. The tunnels were all interconnected and laced in a confusing pattern. I would run into rooms that seemed similar and not know whether I had just been there before, or if it was a replicate room.

I turned into a narrow hallway. The dim lights that had once lined the walls disappeared, abandoning me in complete darkness. My pelt rubbed against the sides of the tunnel and I felt like the front wall could be anywhere in front of me. I couldn't see past my nose or whiskers. Anxiety began to rush through me, my teeth gritting and my breaths getting louder and more forced. I just had to keep going.

It finally widened, and I could feel air around me. I still couldn't see, which was putting me on edge. I stopped for a moment, hoping that I could hear something to give me a clue. From behind, a scraping sound started getting louder and louder. The scraping turned into the sound that a squished snail would make. It gargled, and I pelted away, bumping into the walls as I did so, but continuing to run.

There was a sharp veer to the left. I slammed into the wall, my head spinning and my breath flying out of me. I gasped for a moment, listening for the sounds again. Nothing. My fur fluffed up as I followed the turn and kept walking. Ahead, there were lights and more rooms connected.

I wasn't sure if this was good or bad, but I went towards it. I didn't want to figure out what had been behind me. My pelt prickled, but I refused to turn around. I couldn't bear to see. _It might just have killed me. If I could even die..._

The walls began to have the tools and odd collections that I'd seen before. Had I been here before? I glanced at a large display. As I stared at it, my blood ran cold.

Dull rock tools covered in old, dried blood were in one pile. In another pile, carefully lined up from smallest to largest, were collections of cat organs. From eyes to brains to hearts and stomachs, there was everything. They were dried and almost appeared to pulse, as if still alive. I slowly backed away_. Does the Doctor do all this? I have to save Adalia! I can't let her be cut up too._

I kept walking, trying to blot the images from my mind. Each time they would flash back into my mind, vomit would rise up, but I held it back. Silence was a virtue, especially now. Except that I could hear my paw-steps echoing in the dark tunnels, bouncing back at me from every direction. I shuddered.

A loud groan came from behind me. I whipped around, choking as a corpse edged towards me. I recognized it somehow. _It looks like one of the drawings I saw on my way here. It was her and the Doctor. Is this the daughter?_ I stopped myself. Realization struck me. It was a corpse. She crawled towards me, groaning and crying out. Her limbs didn't seem to fit together and her fur had strange coloring in patches, as if it wasn't even all her. Blood dribbled out of her mouth and soaked into the dirt.

I turned tail and ran, ran, ran. _That must be how the daughter looks like... except not as a corpse. How did a corpse manage to look so similar to her?_ I didn't want to know. The Doctor must have done disgusting things to his patients. Was I lucky that only my eye was stolen from me? I wasn't even sure. There could be no luck on my side if I'd even been his "patient."

After a while, I stopped. Silence greeted me coldly. It was almost a good thing; there were no zombies or creepy objects around. Then, there was also nothing. That scared me just as much. _I don't want to be here._

A scream echoed in a tunnel near me. I easily recognized it as the daughter's voice. I had heard almost nothing after hearing that voice, so I wasn't mistaken. Feeling the urge to help her out, knowing she was in trouble, I called out, "Come here!"

"Who are you?" she screamed.

"This way, please! Just come!" I begged in my mind that she would come. If she was desperate, she would. I need to help her. To save her from fate.

I turned away, staring at the ground. I could only hear my heart pound for a few moments. They got her. I failed already. I slumped over, cursing myself in my mind. I should have gone and helped. I'm so stupid!

Shock struck me as a small black she-cat skidded in front of me. That was her.

"Follow me. I'm going to get you out of here," I meowed softly.

"Who are you?" she repeated, staring.

I turned towards her, lashing my tail. "Just come. I'm going to save you."

She shrieked, staring right at where my eye had been. Her fur fluffed up and she immediately bolted away. I could almost smell her terror as she vanished from right in front of me.

I let out a soft moan, hurt that I'd been that horrible to look at. Couldn't she understand that I wanted to save her? Did I really appear that horrible?

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A/N: Review?


	8. Chapter 7: Adalia

_Mad Father - Chapter 7_

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**I do not own Mad Father. I do not own Warriors. I do not own anything written by Sparrowfeather1.**

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**Chapter 7**

**_Adalia_**

I had just left the den when I had been confronted by the two corpses. It was then that I heard his voice. He was calling me toward him, so I went. From the angle I had originally seen him at, he looked rather handsome, but once I saw the other side of his face, I couldn't contain my disgust and terror. I just… couldn't stand the sight of him. In fear from his appearance, I bolted away, just wanting to never have to look at his face again.

As I ran and began to clear my head I realized, not just how cruel I had been to that poor tomcat, but how horrible my father's experiments were. Why would my father rip off the side of someone's face and their eye so savagely? I thought my father's experiments had a purpose! I couldn't see what purpose such tortures would have.

I knew that my father was sick. I knew he was demented. I knew he was… cruel to his patients… but I never knew that his experiments went this face… I didn't know that he had just… resorted to torturing people for the mere joy of it all.

On the outside, Father didn't seem like a monster—just a normal cat like everyone else. I just… couldn't wrap my brain around the fact that he was behind all this. To me, he never seemed like a bloodthirsty mad scientist… but maybe I hadn't been looking hard enough. Maybe, underneath the mask, there was a really insane, sadistic monster.

* * *

_"And then the red-eyed stranger said to Jack: 'Do you understand now, child? You may do as you wish and no one will get in your way. If they try to stop you, they will not be able to succeed. You are invincible.' _

_ "Jack was over-joyed at this new ability. 'Thank you, red-eyed stranger!' he shouted gleefully. 'I can now go and find those rogues who killed my family! I can get my revenge!'_

_ "The red-eyed strange grinned as Jack ran off in search of the murderous—"_

_ Father stopped abruptly as I accidently rolled off his back. I had been lying there lazily, nuzzling my head in is soft, sweet-smelling fur and just relishing being with him. Father and I rarely spent time together, and when we did, I savored the moment. I had just been shifting to get more comfortable, when my tiny paws slipped on his sleek fur, sending me tumbling down onto the hard ground_

_ He turned around and licked my ear gently. "Are you alright, Adalia?" he inquired solicitously. I didn't need to worry about getting hurt around Father—I knew he could fix me if I got hurt. _

_ I nodded, rolling over onto my tummy. "Yeah, I'm okay," I grunted, pushing myself to my paws. _

_ Father smiled at me and let out a low purr. "Do you want to finish the story now?"_

_ I shook my head. "Not really… I don't like it. Why does Jack want to hurt those cats?" I asked._

_ Father sighed and rested his head on his paws. "Adalia, there are many things in this world that you don't understand. One of them is that there are very bad cats out there… cats that kill for no reason. They are very dangerous, and cats like that… they get a lot of… hate pointed at them. They hurt cats, and by doing so, they hurt that cat's loved ones. And those loved ones may try to see revenge."_

_ "Revenge?" _

_ Father nodded. "Yes, Adalia."_

_ I thought for a moment, looking at the area around us. We lay in a small forest glade where sunlight could filter through the leaves above and shine down on our pelts, warming us. Wind blew freely here, but not with great power; it didn't have enough space to pick up enough speed._

_ "Father…"_

_ "Yes?"_

_ "What is revenge?"_

_ Father thought for a moment before giving me a very formal definition: "It's to take vengeance for, or… inflict punishment on someone for something they did."_

_ "Oh."_

_ Without warning, Father pushed himself to his paws and padded over to the edge of the clearing. I scampered after him, the grass blades tickling my stomach. By the time I'd reached him, he had already turned around. He held a beautiful orange lily in his teeth. Painstakingly, he leaned down and placed the flower right by my ear, the stem going behind my ear, holding it in place._

_ "You look so beautiful, Adalia!" a female voice exclaimed._

_ My head jerked around, knocking the lily out of place and destroying Father's hard work. Mother stood on the other side of the glade, half in the sunlight and half in the shade. Her long, fluffy pelt billowed around her slender figure. She was so beautiful—I only wished that I could look like her one day._

_ "Mother!" I shouted in delight, bounding over. That display earned a chuckle from both Mother and Father. When I reached her, she rubbed her nose against mine in a gentle greeting. _

_ Just as Mother opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by a guttural cough. The next thing I knew, Mother was hacking and coughing uncontrollably. Her legs trembled and her head was so low it nearly touched the ground. "Mother?!" I asked horrified._

_ Father rushed over and swept me away from her with his tail. "Monika?" _

_ After a few moments, Mother swallowed and looked up again. "I'm okay… I'm okay." Father moved closer and looked at her worriedly, his amber eyes searching her face for some kind of wordless contradiction. Mother's eyebrows pulled together and she put on a determined face. "I'm alright, Demetri." _

_ Father finally nodded in resignation and pressed his muzzle to hers. "Adalia and I have been playing together all day."_

_ She smiled; it made me so glad to see mother smile… it was such a warm, loving, reassuring smile. "Have you?" _

_ "It was so fun!" I piped up, nuzzling Father's shoulder with my head._

_ Father nodded happily. "It was. We should do so again, Adalia. And next time," he added after a moment, shooting a mischievous, boyish glance at Mother. "Your mother should join in too."_

_ Mother let out a soft purr and leaned up against Father's shoulder. "I'd be delighted to."_

* * *

I sighed contentedly at the memory; we were so happy then. There was still Mitzi, but that was when Father and Mother were still close. Even though Father liked Mitzi and him and Mother grew apart because of it, he still loved her. I know that he did—does.

How could that Father—who was so loving and kind, and just wanted the best for his family—do such things? It made no sense to me!

The next thing I knew, I was at the narrow corridor that led down to the pit. Startled, I gazed at the tight path with uncertainty. If I went down there and something came in the other end, I wouldn't be able to turn in run. The only thing I would be able to do was back up, or attack the creature, and I didn't know if was capable of either.

Daringly, I entered the small tunnel. Even though I had traveled down it many times before, I wasn't used to it. If anything, it was more nerve-wracking than ever before. Moving quickly, I finally reached the end of the tunnel, and stumbled into the open. Finally able to breathe, I gazed upon the massive pit that lay before me. I was terrified to look down—not knowing what I would see.

Slowly, I made my way over to the winding path. I was just about to begin the descent when a cackling made me freeze. Whipping around, I came face to face with a jet-black tom. Like the golden tom I'd seen before, he had but one eye—one as blue as the ocean. There were bloody lacerations and more minor scratches all long his body. Screeching, I skidded away from him, and from the pit. Hackles raised and fur bristling, I tried to look as intimidating as possible. "Get away from me!"

Before I knew it, another mutilated cat appeared. This one's lower jaw was missing entirely tendons and other tissues still hanging down. Its eyes were sunken into its head and a large patch of flesh was ripped off from his left flank, exposing the soft flesh that was already beginning to rot. The third cat was not as disfigured as the other two, and his cause of death was easy to determine—there was a large hole in his throat that was almost all the way through his neck.

They had corned me, and my back was literally up against the wall. Fangs bared, I braced myself for a fight that I was not prepared for. They would kill me… I would become like them. I relaxed my lips and just stared at them with a look of horror. I was foolish to think I could fight; I was too small and too weak. The only thing I could do was plead… but I already knew they wouldn't listen.

_What do I do?! Great spirits above, please help me!_

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A/N: Review?


	9. Chapter 8: Dio

_Mad Father - Chapter 8_

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**I do not own Mad Father. I do not own Warriors. I do not own Sparrowfeather1.**

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**Chapter 8**

**_Dio_**

I half-heartedly ran after her, my paws feeling heavy on the dirt floor. I looked horrific. I was a walking nightmare. _It's not my fault, but is there even anything I can do about it?_ I could understand why she was so frightened. She had no idea what was going on; her young mind was baffled. She was probably trying to deny that her father had anything to do with me. _Even though he had everything to do with my fall._

I slowed to a halt and stared at the hallway that stretched beyond me. Her scent was nearby, floating in the air, but I could see nothing except darkness. My ears swiveled around on my head to try to pick up any sounds, in case something was lurking in the shadows. I already knew there was something out there. _Something just like me._

I took a few careful steps forward, barely able to see them. Growling to myself, wishing there was light, I walked forward some more. As I did, the sound of gurgling and groaning echoed from in front of me. _Isn't that the way the young she-cat went?_ My heart pounded as I raced forward, a small light flickering ahead. _They want her._

I bowled into a thick, slimy figure. Bouncing backwards and skidding on the floor, I raised my head to see another corpse. His pelt was streaked with mud and blood, his eyes listless. The bloodshot eyes slowly turned from dull to furious as he whipped around to face me, three other corpses shuffling to back him up, leaving a small, trembling cat in the corner. _The she-cat._ Our eyes met for a few brief seconds before she scampered away. I could hear the sound of their claws unsheathing.

"You're distracting us!" one hissed quietly, the sound forced and gritty. "Let us go get her!"

Chills ran down my spine. I was right: they did want her. _What did they want her for? Revenge?_ Scrabbling onto my paws to stand up to them, I unsheathed my claws as well. The cats were confused for a few seconds, not thinking I was actually going to fight them. I took advantage of the moments and leaped at the cat on the right.

My claws easily sank into his flesh. I noticed that their reactions were much slower than a normal cat's. Were mine too? I pushed the thought away as I sunk my teeth into his neck, feeling no blood pour out from the wound. The cat choked and wriggled from under me, the stench of death filling my mouth and nose, and then he was still.

"We can die?" one of the other corpses shouted from behind me. "What did you do to him?"

Claws latched onto my back. I screeched in pain and rolled over, flipping the cat under me. More claws attached onto my fur, bringing a new bout of agony. I ripped my pelt away and slashed at the cat underneath me. It was a whirlwind of claws and teeth and limbs.

But I had the advantage against these three cats. I was saner, more intact with my former senses. If I could react fast enough, I had a chance. Even if I wasn't as strong or used to being... _dead._

"I'll get you, you piece of rotten flesh!" a cat from behind me yowled.

I spun around just in time to dodge the thick cat bowling towards me. Jumping onto the skidding body, I dug my teeth into its neck instantly. I wasn't even going to wait for the cat to retaliate and fight back. They didn't need a chance against me. I just wanted to protect myself, _and her._

There was just two left. Two against one.

My breaths came in shallow gasps as my head spun with the action. Maybe I was turning into them, losing all my quick cat-like reflexes. I would be a useless, lumbering corpse, wandering the tunnels for the revenge that I would never get. I didn't want to be like that. I wanted a purpose. I wanted to feel as alive as I could in the circumstances.

The two cats remaining were calm, stepping towards me with their teeth bared and complete rage boiling in their eyes. Fear pulsed through me as I found myself cornered, up to their mercy. One of them laughed, glancing at the other with satisfaction.

I seized the moment and darted between them, spinning out into the open. Nausea engulfed me for a few moments, but I blinked it away and dodged the first set of claws. I reared back and smashed down onto the cat, feeling bones crack under my weight and force. The cat groaned and coughed up a strange white substance. And was still.

"Why are you doing this?" the last cat growled. "We're trying to get our revenge. He killed you too."

"But on his daughter? She did nothing," I responded, shaking my head. "It's not right."

"Why are you defending her? That's exactly what I mean: she's his daughter! You're betraying us! How can you let her live after he did this to us?" he roared, froth foaming in the corners of his mouth.

"Because she did nothing," I said softly, a little sadly, as I darted forwards and knocked the cat onto the ground swiftly. "Sorry." I swiftly snapped his neck with my teeth and darted away, leaving the bodies to rot on the ground.

When I returned to where I had been, the she-cat's scent was gone. My shoulders slumped; I had no idea where she could possibly be. Could I ever find her in this endless maze? I lowered my head in despair, ignoring the chilling air that wreathed around me.

"Save her," a voice whispered to me. "Save Adalia!"

I gasped, speechless.

"Get her out of here. Save her. _**Save her!**_"

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A/N: Review?


	10. Chapter 9: Adalia

_Mad Father - Chapter 9_

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**I do not own Mad Father. I do not own Warriors. I do not own anything written by Sparrowfeather1.**

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**Chapter 9**

**_Adalia_**

That strange tom had helped me again… Well, perhaps he wasn't as bad as I thought he was. But can you blame me from running in the beginning? I mean, what ten-moon-old she-cat _wouldn't_ run from such a sight? But, he was hardly the worst thing in this horrid place. Had the curse brought every single patient of Father's back to life? If that was the case, I would have to find my way around, or through, a lot of corpses.

At what seemed like long last, I began my descent down into the pit. The heat from the magma made my fur get an awful, spikey feeling as if it were being singed. I was too far away for it to have any real affect, though. I was lucky in that respect at least.

The winding path seemed to go on forever, and I soon began to marvel and Father's endurance. Whenever I came to visit him, he scaled this path so quickly! Mitzi as well. How were they so… so suited to this place? To them, this was a second home, but to me, this was some kind of alien world complete with the zombie apocalypse! An entire decade seemed to pass before I reached the bottom of that vexatious path. But, once I was finally down there, I wished I had stayed back at the surface.

It was so much hotter down here; swelteringly hot. My breath came in rapid gasps as I struggled to comprehend exactly how Father and Mitzi tolerated it down there. But that wasn't the only thing: stone tools line the walls and were scattered across the floor haphazardly. It was almost as if someone had been searching for something. Despite all this, the most disturbing part, without a doubt, was the fact that Father was nowhere to be found.

"Father?" I called out, my voice feeble in the scorching heat. I was feeling more than clammy, and perhaps even a bit disoriented. When I heard the soft, agonized groan, I was overcome with joy; at least someone else was down here.

I didn't stop to think that it might be a corpse I was about to go rush to greet. I didn't care. Overwhelmed with my sudden… enthusiasm, I rushed forward through the steam to come face-to-face with a disgusting sight. A cat of undeterminable color was staggering toward me. His guts spilled out of a large wound in his side, poking through his exposed ribcage. His eyes, now dull and almost lifeless, were locked on me as he proceeded forward. There seemed to be only one thing on his mind: me.

Stumbling backwards, I placed my paw on one of the discarded tools and slid. Knocked off my paws, I lay there on the ground, almost helpless. Fear had paralyzed me, and even though I could have easily gotten up and fled at the low speed at which my executioner approached, I couldn't. I was too absorbed in my own fright to think properly.

Without warning, the tom let out a mangled cry and collapsed. Trembling, I waited with apprehension to see who would appear in the mist now. To my surprise, Mitzi staggered forward, her legs shaking so violently she could hardly stand.

"Mitzi!" I gasped, scrambling to my paws. I rushed toward her and allowed her to lean on my shoulder until she was steady. "Mitzi, what is going on?" I asked, on the verge of hysteria. Where was Father? Why wasn't he there? "Where is Father?!"

Mitzi collapsed, finally allowing me to see what afflicted her: a massive wound along her left flank. It looked as if someone—or something—had ripped their claws right through the side of her. "She took him…" Mitzi mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. "She took him from me…"

"Who? Do you mean Father? Who took him?" I fired question after question at her, but couldn't seem to receive any clear answer. She had to be talking about Father—who else would it be?—but who could have taken him? My father wasn't one of those large, robust toms who constantly threw their weight around like they were king of the world, but he was fast. He could easily evade any threat he faced. So why had he been captured? Something had to have surprised him—taken him off guard.

But what?

"I… must… save… Doctor…" Mitzi breathed. Her eyes widened slightly before they closed entirely.

And I was suddenly all alone again.

"Mitzi!" I shouted, tears threatening to fall from my eyes. "Mitzi, please! Please, you've got to get up!"

For a moment, I stood there, panicking and feeling utterly helpless. But then I noticed the faint rise and fall of her flanks.

_She's not dead!_

Relief flooded me; at least Mitzi was alive, but I still couldn't say the same for Father. Even though a part of me despised her for ruining Mother and Father's relationship, and for taking him away from me when I needed him, she was a familiar face. She was a part of the family whether I liked it or not.

* * *

_Father brought her home during a thunderstorm. It had happened about five or six moons ago when I was still really young, but I remember it. Mother and I were in my den, and she was telling me a story. _

_ "The cat was named Clary, and she had been given the power of fire. The red-eyed stranger had seen Clary's suffering and knew that all she wanted was help her family rest in peace. You see, Adalia, Clary's family had been wrongly murdered under false pretenses."_

_ "What does 'false pretenses' mean?" I asked._

_ "Cats thought that they were doing something that they weren't," Mother explained. She always was good at explaining things so I understood them fully. Whenever Father tried to explain something, he was truthful, and blunt, but cryptic at the same time. He used big words that I couldn't understand whenever I asked about something he didn't want me to know. Mother always made sure I knew what she was talking about._

_ "Oh, okay."_

_ "So, the red-eyed stranger decided to give Clary the power of fire. That way, she could get revenge on those who had killed her family."_

_ There was that word again: revenge._

_ "'Now,' Clary said triumphantly. 'I will burn those fox-hearts who took my family from me! And, I will burn anyone who gets in my way!' But, things did not turn out the way Clary expected them to. In the end, she lost her temper, and set the entire world ablaze. In the end, she burned everything—all the trees, all the cats, all the animals in the lands. Her flames were even so hot and in such multitude that it dried up all the water. And in the end, Clary was alone. Defeated, and left to die in the lonely world she'd created, she laid down in the ashes of her home and cried._

_ "The red-eyed stranger returned to her and padded over. His eyes glinted with a strange look that Clary had never seen before… amusement? 'You got what you wanted,' the red-eyed stranger pointed out. 'You should be happy.'_

_ "Clary replied, 'How can I be happy? I destroyed everything I ever loved.'_

_ "The red-eyed stranger chuckled darkly. 'You see what happens when you fight fire with fire?'"_

_ "Monika!"  
_

_Our story was cut short as Father's voice sounded from outside the den. Both Mother and I were on our paws in an instant. Mother entered the tunnel first and headed off toward the path that led out toward the mountain. I hung back, my pelt bristling as I heard the distant growling of thunder. I hated storms._

_ Mother returned a few minutes later with Father trailing behind. A strange, unknown cat was leaning against father's shoulder, panting. The stranger—a she-cat—looked half-dead; every single one of her bones protruded painfully from skin, stretching it tightly over her tiny figure. Her brown tabby pelt was ragged and matted in some places. Her large, green eyes were dull and next to lifeless. _

_ She was an absolute mess._

_ Father escorted the stranger into his and Mother's den and emerged a few seconds later. "I'll go get some herbs to hopefully treat her. I'll bring a mouse too," he told Mother before rushing off in the direction of the pit._

_ Ignoring my presence, Mother slid into the den, and I followed. Immediately Mother went over to the stranger and licked her ears. "Hush now, sweetie. You're safe here. What's your name, darling?"_

_ The stranger let out a labored cough before replying: "Mitzi."_

* * *

Mitzi had lived by herself for many moons. Ever since she was about my age, she had been forced to survive on her own. And, for a while, she did that. She kept herself, fed, watered, and groomed, and even had created a nice home for herself in the forest.

But then came the accident.

Mitzi had been caught by a group of Twolegs who had been barging through the forest for no particular reason. They caught her, and took her to a strange, sterile place that smelled bad. Every day, they would stick needles in her, and one day, they stuck her with one that made her fall asleep.

When she woke up, she felt… different. After making an inquiry with the other cats who had been held captive in that despicable place, she learned that she could no longer had kits. The Twolegs had altered her body to make it impossible.

Mitzi was devastated.

She had always wanted to settle down with a nice tom and have multiple litters, and now that dream would never come true.

After being in that awful place for what seemed like ages, a Twoleg put Mitzi in this strange compartment and took her back to its den. Repulsed by the thought of living with a Twoleg, Mitzi took the first chance she had and ran for it. Luckily enough, she escaped, but there still something not right with her.

It was as if her hunting skills has been altered. She no longer could seem to hunt successfully, and soon found herself starving to death. If Father hadn't found her when she did, she probably would have died.

_Mitzi owes her life to Father,_ I thought, looking down at the poor creature. _Now wonder she loves him so much—he saved her life… Maybe she even loves him as much as Mother and I do…_ I sighed, but found myself feeling a little better. If I ever found Father, and if things ever got back to normal, I suddenly realized, that I wouldn't mind having Mitzi as a mother. Of course, she could never replace Mother, but, I thought that I would have at least been able to tolerate her.

With a heavy heart, I turned away from Father's assistant. I hated to leave her, I truly did, but I knew I had to go. Father still needed me. I glanced over my shoulder at the limp body and closed my eyes sadly. "I'll come back for you, Mitzi," I promised before rushing off to find Father.

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A/N: Review?


	11. Chapter 10: Dio

_Mad Father - Chapter 10_

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**I do not own Mad Father. I do not own Warriors. I do not own anything written by Sparrowfeather1.**

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**Chapter 10**

**_Dio_**

* * *

Adalia's scent was wreathing around me; she had been here. I had finally caught up to her! My mind whirled as the voice echoed in my head, her words repeating over and over. Save her. Who was it? Did they know Adalia? Were they a corpse too? Maybe I wasn't the only one that wanted to help the she-cat. Adalia.

I padded faster now, hoping that I could catch up with her. She was fast to be navigating around these dark tunnels, I could give her that. Courageous, brave. I didn't know how she could muster continuing on after encountering those corpses... the beasts _like me._ Yet after running into them, she kept going. She was determined. I could tell.

The tunnel lowered into a pit, gloomy and unwelcoming. It was hot, too. My pelt seemed to weigh down on me as I opened my mouth to breathe easier. Her scent was now thick. Was she here? My tail sprung up as I called her name, hoping she could hear.

"Adalia!"

Her name echoed around the tunnels without a response. A soft creaking seemed to follow, but I hoped it was just my imagination. A shudder ran down my spine, and not from cold; it was much too warm.

I slumped my shoulders. It seemed that Adalia had already moved on. I thought I had caught up with her! But no, I was still behind. She pushed on and on, fighting her way for something... I couldn't lag behind, though. The more that I sulked, the farther behind I would get. Growling, I stood back up and tried to find an exit.

I began to wheeze, the thick air making it harder and harder to breathe. I wished for a nice, cold pool of water to jump in. I hated water, of course, but the heat was wriggling into my mind and disorientating me. I was so close to just giving up, giving in to the maze of tunnels and letting myself perish there, burn up and fry.

But before I could do that, I heard a slow pattern of pawsteps. My entire body froze, my fur fluffing out, as they grew nearer. My claws slid into the soft ground and I bared my teeth, ready to fight.

"Calm down," a deep, soothing voice meowed. Yet I could sense something else lingering on the edge of his smooth persona.

I whipped around to face a pale, hairless cat whose eyes shone red in the darkness. They stared right at me, large against his wrinkly face. Disgust filled me, but I realized that I didn't look any better than he did. Unflinching, I meowed, "Who are you?" He didn't look like a corpse, nor did he move like one, but there was no way to be certain.

"I'm Oldrik," he mewed, beginning to slowly pace in a circle around me.

That didn't explain anything. I lashed my tail. "What do you want? Can you tell me where Adalia is? What _are_ you?"

"Patience, patience. You're not like the rest, are you?" he purred. His skinny tail prodded my shoulder and I jumped back, staring at him as my fur rose on my neck. His presence felt odd. I didn't like it at all.

"I don't know what you mean," I retorted. Who were the rest?

"I'm sure you do," he replied softly, not showing any reaction to my distaste.

"No. I don't," I snapped. I wanted to get out of here.

"You certainly must know what I'm talking about..." He paused, gazing up at the ceiling as if he heard something. "You're after someone. Adalia, you say. Do you want to kill her? Revenge is sweet, I can tell you, but there could be many other ways of...going about this."

"No, I don't want to kill her." I eyed him. What was he talking about?

"Ah, so I was right." He smiled, his face becoming even more wrinkly and eerie in the dim room. "Why don't you want to kill her like the rest?" he asked smugly. "Her father murdered you. He created a monster out of you."

I glanced away. "She's a victim too. It's not her fault. I want to save her before something happens to her too. I don't want the same fate to befall such an innocent, young she-cat."

Oldrik nodded slowly, his smile having faded. "I see. You're a young one, too."

I didn't respond for a few moments. "Can you help me?" Was he even on my side? He wasn't urging me to murder her, but he hadn't offered any advice.

He stared at me with his creepy red eyes. As chills began to run up my spine, he meowed softly, "You may be able to save her now...but you cannot save her from reality, nor can you help her escape her destiny." He closed his eyes.

"Wait, what? What do you mean?" I demanded, jumping towards him. As I did so, he disappeared from right in front of me, leaving a cold wisp of air.

* * *

A/N: Review?


End file.
